Always Room For You Beside Me
by GhostFrappe
Summary: Vash can no longer handle the heartache his memories bring him and seeks comfort from Wolfwood one evening. He learns, however, that he might need the holy man in more ways than one and their friendship takes an intense turn. Rated M for later chapters.
1. He Who is There For Me

_**Always Room For You Beside Me  
**_**Chapter 1: **_He Who is There For Me__**  
**_

* * *

A calm breeze poured through the open window, sending a chill down the spine of a certain blonde guest at the inn that evening. Amazing how it could be stiflingly hot during the day beneath the blazing heat of two suns, but so cold at night. Typical desert climate. It had been another long day for Vash; having to fend off everyone in town with a gun that was after the hefty bounty on his head was only one of his problems. Physical pain he could mostly handle (he had no choice, considering how often he got shot), but it was the emotional and mental anguish that he kept to himself that never seemed to end. Like every night, he curled up in wherever he could find to sleep and fought endless battles in his mind and heart, never forgiving himself for Rem's fate. For a man who was always fighting for love and peace, he could never actually find peace with himself.

Those final visions of Rem haunted him every single day, and it was at night when he could close himself off from the world and let loose his sorrow. He had to have this emotional release where no one else could see in order to keep him going the next day, putting all his strength into keeping up a happy façade. He really didn't want anyone's sympathy – it wasn't their problem, and even if it was, no one would ever feel sorry for a criminal. It was a devastating albatross he had no choice but to live with. That particular night had been hell; Vash was plagued with agonizing thoughts and nightmares that he just could not drive out of his head, and he was struggling to keep his sobs under wraps. His room was right between the girls' room and Wolfwood's room and the last thing he wanted was for any of them to hear him wailing like abasket case.

His heart was just too heavy that night and the pain he felt proved to be too much. Vash so often tried to solve all the world's problems and his own all by himself, so maybe he needed to just spill his guts to someone else and lift a little of that weight off his shoulders for once. Given his limited choices for a crying shoulder, he figured he could count most on the priest down the hall. But what would Wolfwood think of him? The Humanoid Typhoon showing up at his door at crazy o'clock at night like a little kid scared of a storm…hello, awkward conversation. Vash's eyes were red from crying and he didn't know how he was going to hide that, even if Wolfwood had been drinking and couldn't see two feet in front of him. Taking a deep breath and composing himself as best he could, Vash quietly left his room and lightly tapped on his friend's door.

"Who's there?"

"It's Vash."

"_Huh, wonder what he wants at this hour,"_ the priest mused after taking a drag on his cigarette. _"He doesn't sound very happy."_

Wolfwood opened the door to see his blonde red-clad friend, who was evidently trying way too hard to pretend to be happy. Try as he might to hide it, Vash's eyes made it all too obvious what kind of mood he was in and the last person he was going to fool was Wolfwood.

"Come on in, sit down," Wolfwood said. He picked up a bottle of whiskey from the table in the corner and waved it in his friend's direction. Vash shook his head; he felt horrible, but didn't want to drown himself in alcohol. The dark-haired priest took a seat beside his grieving friend on the bed and rested a hand on Vash's back. "What's wrong? You look upset."

Vash shuddered as he choked back a sob, and he just looked up and smiled. "Nothing's wrong! I just wanted to hang out because I was kind of bored and lonely."

The response Vash got didn't even need to be spoken; the church man had such a way with words that he sometimes didn't even need them. Wolfwood narrowed his eyes at the blonde man, inhaled another mouthful of smoke, and stared incredulously at his outlaw friend. "You can't BS a BSer, Vash. Nothing's wrong? Then why have you been crying? You can't _literally_ be bored to tears, you know."

Vash felt his lower lip start to quiver as his fake smile began to falter. He figured Wolfwood wouldn't buy it, but it was worth a try. After all, this is the man who could tell the day he met Vash what kind of heartrending secrets he was hiding from the rest of the world, just at a mere glance. The blonde man hung his head, hiding his face from Wolfwood as he felt another surge of tears coming on.

"You're right, it is something. It's just…hard for me to talk about." Vash said in an increasingly broken voice. Wolfwood had never actually seen Vash break down before, and when he saw a pair of tears drop onto the floor between Vash's feet, he knew he had to pay attention. He quickly put out his half-burnt cigarette with his shoe.

"Talk to me," Wolfwood said. He could feel Vash starting to shake under his hand as he tried to stifle a sob. With his other hand, Wolfwood reached over and pulled Vash's face up to look into his eyes. It was tough seeing those exquisite jade eyes so full of blue devils. Wolfwood knew that Vash was a genuinely kind soul to a fault, as evidenced by his asinine ideals about peace. It was hard seeing him hurting like this, even to someone who had seen and been involved in his fair share of violence and death. With his thumb, Wolfwood gingerly wiped away the tears rolling down the blonde man's face. "You can tell me anything. Not only as a priest, but as your friend."

Vash looked like he wanted to say something, but just couldn't find the right words. "I…I…" was all he managed to get out before what little strength he had started to fracture and he lost it again.

"Stop trying to put up a strong front for me. I know you're hurting like hell on the inside, so don't think I'm that thick that I can't see through it when you act like everything is fine. Tell me what's going on. Tell me the truth. Just unload." Wolfwood scolded Vash for thinking he was really that dense.

Vash sniffled and brushed tears away with his arm. "I…lost someone very close to me…a long time ago. Her name was Rem."

"A girlfriend?" Wolfwood asks.

"No. She saved my brother and I and took care of us. And I saw her…she died saving us when my brother…" Vash buried his face in his hand, choking on his words. Wolfwood had an idea what the next word in that sentence would have been, so he didn't press his friend further.

"So more like a mother or a big sister. Do you think you were responsible for what happened to her?"

"Had it not been for me being there, she would have lived. She'd still be here today." He looked up at Wolfwood, the corners of his mouth twitching like he was trying to smile for Wolfwood and just couldn't. "But I miss her so much. She helped me become the person I am, and made me want to fight for love and peace as well as protect others. I owe every aspect of my life to her. I told her I would protect her…"

He couldn't finish his sentence without feeling he weight of those words strangling him. Hardened as he was to the suffering of people and the loss of life, Wolfwood still felt a stitch in his heart seeing this man so crushed. Now he understood the hurt and agony that Vash kept veiled behind a smile all the time.

"_Leave it up to a woman to fuck you up as much as you are. Idiot,"_ was what Wolfwood was thinking, but he couldn't very well say that out loud. All these years, Vash had been coping with this by himself. Why only now did he open up to someone else? He figured it had just become too much for him to deal with alone. Wolfwood wasn't sure what he could say to console his dear friend, especially since he didn't want to say something that would make him feel worse. He simply gathered up Vash in his arms and held him close.

"I'm so sorry, Vash. No one should have to see their loved ones die." Vash draped his arms around the priest and buried his face in Wolfwood's shoulder, still weeping. Wolfwood could only imagine how deeply Vash was hurting; this was a man that would gladly take a bullet to save the life of a total stranger who would probably turn right around and shoot him too. Wolfwood felt his eyes start to get a little heavy, but he couldn't let himself cry. He felt like such a hypocrite, telling Vash to not hide things from him while he's doing exactly that to Vash. But it was not the time for him to be upset; he had to be strong for Vash, and all he could do was hold him closer. A caring hand came to rest on the back of Vash's neck, with fingers pressing into the spiked golden locks. _"'It's okay' won't work right now, I don't think. Because it's not okay. Shit. What do I say?"_ Wolfwood thought briefly.

"I just…hate being alone." Vash crooned, brokenhearted.

"But you're not alone. You've got the girls, and I'm here." Wolfwood tried to sound a little more upbeat, reminding Vash that he's not as alone as he might think.

"The girls are just here for their jobs, and Meryl seems to hate my guts. And I know it's usually only by chance that _we_ run into each other." Vash sighed, resting his chin on the priest's shoulder.

"That's more than nothing. You act like you have absolutely no one who gives a crap about you in the whole world." Wolfwood softly caressed the back of Vash's head, trying to soothe him.

"You don't understand. Ever since the accident in July, I can't allow anyone to get too close to me. People want to hunt me down and my friends get killed in the crossfire. Losing Rem was and still is a nightmare, but watching more loved ones die because of me is too much. Sometimes I can't help but think that since I'm the common factor…maybe it's time I just removed myself before more people have to die."

Vash felt a light smack on his head, followed by the chagrined holy man seizing him by his shoulders. "You idiot. If you're saying what I think you're saying, stop it. Right now. You yourself said you don't believe in suicide and yet you'd be willing to do it to protect people you love as well as strangers? You don't think for one second doing that would hurt the people who care about you?!"

A staunch gaze struck Vash deep in his soul. Wolfwood looked so solemn, to the point of being intimidating. "I'm sorry. I guess it's the depression talking. You're right."

Vash was starting to recoup his ability to speak normally; it appeared, for the time being, he simply had no more tears left to cry. Wolfwood's harsh look lightened, but he continued holding onto Vash and staring him right in the eyes.

"It's so very _you_ to sacrifice everything for others. But I think anyone who wants to be close to you gets that they will be at risk by association. For a lot of people, that is a worthwhile risk. Death and destruction may follow on your coat tails, but by God, you have an intoxicating personality and you do touch lives in _good_ ways."

Green eyes grew wide in surprise - such touching words coming from a man who had slapped him in the head just moments before. Vash didn't quite know how to respond, but whispers of a smile were starting to take shape. Something about being around Wolfwood and looking into his striking blue eyes made everything seem okay, or at least tolerable. It had been a while since someone showed him this kind of empathy and it was helping to quell some of those inner demons, even if just for the moment. He may not have wanted anyone's pity, but it was mostly because he figured no one had any for him. He was sure glad to be wrong, for once.

"It's not my place to tell you what you should and shouldn't do. But if there's any advice I can give you, it would be to try and focus more on the present and the future…not so much on the past. It's okay to grieve for someone you love that's gone, but don't let it rule your life."

Vash sniffled and blinked away the teary clouds in his eyes before a smile slowly crept over his face. Smiling and eyes sore from crying – talk about mixed signals. And Wolfwood never once took his hands off Vash. Having the chance to pour his heart out provided wonderful healing for a tortured soul like his.

"There's a smile, and a real one too! You should do that more often, 'Spiky' – a smile looks best on you." Wolfwood smiled right back at his friend. He felt pretty good about a lot of things that had transpired since Vash walked in: knowing he was able to be there for Vash when he needed someone, making him feel a little better, and most of all, knowing Vash trusted him enough to cry in front of him. He thought that was a big step for a man who never lets anyone get too close to him.

Without much warning, Vash suddenly threw his arms around Wolfwood, sending the two of them tumbling backwards against the bed. Still with that sunny smile on his face, Vash rested his chin on Wolfwood's chest and peered up at the holy man from behind the folds of his shirt and jacket.

"Thank you. Thank you for listening to me ramble. You're a true friend, Nicholas D. Wolfwood." He nuzzled his face against Wolfwood's bare chest, savoring the feeling of the man's warm flesh against his own.

The two men lay like this for a while, Vash holding the priest closer and Wolfwood stroking the blonde's head and back, occasionally checking to see if Vash had fallen asleep. Wolfwood and Vash, unbeknownst to each other, were both experiencing some rather unexpected emotions. Neither wanted to let go of the other; Wolfwood found Vash's touch to be almost addicting, and Vash felt safe and – dare he say - _loved _in the holy man's arms. The bond between friends had strengthened, for certain, but was it starting to become a different kind of connection?

Eventually, the two of them disjoined and settled down side by side on the bed with what little space they had on a mattress made for one. Vash lay on his back with his hands folded over his stomach, and Wolfwood lay on his side, propped up on his elbow. Silence fell over the room; Vash and Wolfwood gazed at one another, searching for answers within one another's eyes. The church man's stare was steady, and Vash would decide the wall or the table was more interesting and look away when he thought he'd kept eye contact for too long. This felt so unusual; sure, they were good friends, but it felt different. Not in a bad way, but the kind of different where you want nothing more than to touch the person and just breathe them in. _"Why do I feel like this?"_ Vash pondered. _"It's weird. I feel better, but I don't want to be away from him. And I'm not into men. Brain has gone poof, Vash."_

Wolfwood reached over, cupping his hand around Vash's face, daintily stroking the man's skin. Slowly, deliberately, Wolfwood inched his face closer to Vash's and pressed their lips together. Astoundingly, Vash showed little resistance, and an initially stunned expression soon melted into a more contented and compliant one.

The church man pulled his mouth away from Vash's to survey the "damage;" he'd tested the waters and now he had to know if it was okay to jump in. The kiss itself was in no way wild and lustful. Rather, it was very soft and sensual like so many first kisses. Vash's posture and flushed cheeks suggested a degree of nervousness, but he wasn't putting up a fight. Wolfwood knew he wouldn't be content just to take this blonde angel in his bed like some throwaway plaything. No, he wanted to fully experience the enigma behind the red duster that was Vash the Stampede and all that entailed.

"You look cute when you blush." Wolfwood said in a playful tone. Light-hearted as he sounded, he meant it. Just as he couldn't stand seeing his golden-haired friend crying, he could not get enough of him when he was happy.

Of course, this only made Vash blush even more. All Wolfwood knew was he wanted to feel those velvet lips against his again, so another kiss it was, only with a bit more force this time. He also slipped the tip of his tongue into Vash's mouth for just a second, making the blonde man flinch and his eyes bolt open.

"Never gotten a little tongue with your kisses before?" Wolfwood asked, flicking his tongue over his lips as if to emphasize his question.

Vash laughed a little. "You kind of got me off guard, that's all."

Wolfwood smiled and brushed a stray lock of hair out of Vash's face. "Just for tonight, let your guard down. Let me past that wall you've built around yourself all these years. Show me you."

Wolfwood climbed on top of Vash, situating himself between the blonde's legs and pressing himself against his blonde partner, all the while their mouths interlocked. Increasingly, the leisurely, romantic pace was starting to vanish, and curious wants were being replaced with more urgent needs. Wolfwood slipped his tongue into the blonde's mouth again, and while it managed to startle Vash a second time, he didn't pull away. Vash leaned into the kiss and returned the gesture, exploring Wolfwood's mouth with his tongue, or at least trying to; Vash wasn't exactly a seasoned romantic, so he did his best.

The kiss was electrifying. Never would Wolfwood have ever imagined that he'd have Vash the Stampede in his bed, breathless and gazing up at him with a twinkle of longing in his eyes. Vash's coyness just made the priest want him even more. He couldn't figure it out - maybe it was just Vash's overall charm, which Wolfwood had always found so uplifting. Wolfwood planted a feather-light kiss on Vash's lips before advancing down to the blonde's neck, kissing along the man's defined jawline, down the side of his neck and up to his earlobe. Those soft strokes against such sensitive skin sent chills through Vash's whole body. Wolfwood couldn't see much with his face pressed into the gunman's neck, but he could feel and hear Vash's sensuous churring through his flesh and it caused the heat within him to burn even hotter.

"So sensitive. I love it." Wolfwood murmured huskily against Vash's skin. A nip to the neck made Vash gasp and his fingers and legs curl around Wolfwood. The holy man found he was quite adept at taking Vash by surprise with his mouth, and if things continued on their current course, he would be able to do it again in a much more satisfying way.

* * *

**Author's notes:** _Yup, the first chapter is mostly fluffy comfort reading, but things will heat up later on, hence the M rating. Blah, I meant for this to be a SHORT story, like a couple thousand words. I'm not sure how it blew up to over 9000 (yuk yuk), but what can you do when you've got the urge to write smut?_

_I swear, sometimes I don't realize how much I love yaoi. I wasn't even done watching Trigun when this story started to play out in my head - like seeing the words in my mind. I thought, "I gotta write this stuff down." Obviously my mind is on a single track and wastes no time getting right to it. Probably OOC too, but I don't know how much._


	2. Shields Down

_**Always Room For You Beside Me  
**_**Chapter 2: **_Shields Down_

* * *

A thick, red leather collar effectively blocked Wolfwood's descent from Vash's neck. That was no good, as there was far too much skin under that coat that he had yet to kiss, nibble and suck on.

"Can I take this thing off?" Wolfwood asked, tugging at the oversized collar on Vash's treasured duster.

"You can _try_." Vash said with a grin.

"That sounds like a challenge, which I gladly accept." Wolfwood returned the smile and began working his way through the buttons on the coat. Isn't it lame how getting someone undressed feels like it takes forever when you're in the mood? Wolfwood's thoughts exactly, but little did he realize just what a challenge he was in for. He finally had everything unbuttoned and opened up the front of the coat, and the sight he was greeted with almost made him want to cry.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Wolfwood yelled in exasperation. He looked in disbelief at the rest of Vash's outfit: a leather body suit covering him from neck to toe, held together by what seemed like endless buckles, straps and zippers.

"Is that any way for a priest to talk?" Vash poked. Even when he looked so innocent, he could be a smartass.

"Shut up and let me do this." the priest grumbled. He just about needed a drink before trying to unpeel this monstrosity of a suit.

Wolfwood was still on his mission, and he was damn well going to finish what he started, picking through the ocean of closures and glistening leather. Frustrated as he was at first, the holy man was nonetheless able to admire the body before him. No, he couldn't see any flesh yet, but Vash still had a gorgeous figure: long legs, built in the shoulders and chest, a slender waist, all wrapped in skin-tight leather. A perfect lover bundled in the best kind of gift wrap. He could only imagine what beauty lay beneath the tight suit the blonde always covered himself in. Meanwhile, Vash's haughty smirk started to weaken as Wolfwood successfully tugged each and every strap open.

"_Crap, I thought having to unwrap me would discourage him."_ Vash thought. He felt so conflicted. The need for Wolfwood's hands to be on him was fierce, but at the same time, he didn't want the church man to see the horror that lay concealed within his clothing.

"God, how do you put this on every single day?" Wolfwood thought out loud as he began pulling the outfit down off the blonde's shoulders. Just as a little sliver of pale skin began to show through, Vash immediately grasped the sheets from either side of him and yanked them over his chest.

"What are you doing?" Wolfwood asked, his hands still clutching the edges of the suit amidst the cocoon of sheets Vash had wrapped around himself.

Vash turned away, mortified. "I have a lot of scars. I don't really like people seeing them."

"Then why did you tell me to try getting you out of your clothes? You're like a woman – say one thing and mean something else." Wolfwood joked.

"I thought you'd lose your patience with all the little straps and everything and not bother." Vash shrugged - he thought wrong.

Wolfwood stood up on his knees and put his hands on his hips. "Haha! Never underestimate the patience of a man of God, my friend!" He was hoping to get Vash to loosen up a touch, but it was a no-go. Vash was thoroughly ashamed of his body, meaning another barricade Wolfwood had to try to break through. Dropping back down onto the bed, he looked in Vash's eyes while sliding his hands back under the sheets.

"You never have to feel uncomfortable around me. I won't judge you."

"It's a lot worse than you think."

"I have a pretty vivid imagination. Come on, you've let me in this far. Let me in the rest of the way. And I don't just mean with your damn straight jacket of an outfit either." Wolfwood never once broke eye contact with the blushing blonde.

Vash didn't reply, but he also didn't push the church man's hands away, so Wolfwood took it as the green light to carry on. Vash was still looking troubled, but was letting Wolfwood undress him. Wolfwood was mentally preparing himself for the worst possible sight once he got those clothes off, but even then, he had to suppress a gasp as he laid his eyes upon the full extent of the damage. Deep, dark scars, large areas of flesh missing, metal holding his torso together in some places. Wolfwood couldn't believe just how severely this poor man had been injured and seeing the evidence of so many wounds on the same body was almost painful to look at. It was difficult to find anywhere that hadn't been wounded.

"So this is the price you pay for protecting everyone." Wolfwood said in almost a whisper, lightly running his fingers over one of the deep gashes in Vash's shoulder. His mangled body looked like a vase full of cracks, ready to shatter – possibly a look to match his damaged psyche. As much as he cared about Vash, Wolfwood couldn't help thinking what an idiot he was for letting people hurt him so much. Was the average asshole human really worth each and every one of these bullets?

Vash said nothing; he felt exposed and like Wolfwood's gaze was boring holes in him, staring at the mess he kept hidden under his coat. He closed his eyes, trying to block out any bad thoughts, and soon afterward, he felt the familiar grace of warm lips upon his own.

"You aren't disgusted by how I look?" Vash asked, considerably surprised.

"Of course not. You're right, it _was_ worse than I thought. But those scars are just a part of you, and I want all of you. Scars included."

* * *

Knowing the church man was so accepting of his torn body put Vash fairly at ease, even as Wolfwood continued to peel back his body suit, all the way down to his hips.

"If I remember correctly, we were about right here, yes?" Wolfwood asked as he began kissing Vash on the neck again, kissing a trail past the man's neck, uninhibited. The holy man felt a slight iciness as the metal over Vash's heart touched his own exposed chest through his shirt. His movements were tantalizingly gradual, covering every inch of the blonde's naked flesh with kisses and gentle bites. Satin lips traced some of the scars littering Vash's sides and waist, showing him that Wolfwood did, in fact, want all of him. Wolfwood licked his way across the blonde man's shredded chest, stopping to suck on a nipple while rolling the other between his thumb and finger, making Vash bite his lip and whimper.

Wolfwood dragged his tongue down the gunman's body in a torturous tease. He traced a line over his chest and waist and dipped his tongue into the blonde's navel, making Vash squirm.

"_What the hell, body? Why did THAT, of all things, feel good?"_ Vash thought. The priest carried on licking down to the lower half of Vash's body suit, pulling his tongue across the man's hips. Though he acted bashful and reluctant, Wolfwood had to provoke what he knew was a very aroused man. There was certainly no hiding the arousal under those body-hugging leather pants, but Vash was a bundle of nerves in both the good way and the bad way.

This certainly did not go unnoticed. "I can't tell if you're terrified or enjoying yourself. Are you a virgin?" Wolfwood asked. He had no idea how such a handsome man could possibly be a virgin, but it was the only logical answer for the gunman's constant blushing and cluelessness.

Poor Vash was red as cherry as he tried to figure out whether this was any fun or not. His eyes looked everywhere but at Wolfwood, and that was all the answer the church man needed.

"I had a hunch. Do you want me to stop?"

It wouldn't be Wolfwood's first time with a virgin, and from his past experiences, he knew exactly what was going to happen. Vash would be an idiot and let Wolfwood do anything he wanted to him while just grinning and bearing it all, and then would regret everything later. Why? Because that's just how Vash was. He'd let someone hurt him just so they would be happy. This lovely blonde man on the bed has already been hurt so many times in so many ways, and Wolfwood would be damned if he'd be one of them. _"Remember, this isn't just some woman you took home from the bar, asshole. This is Vash. There is a scared, vulnerable, innocent soul behind all those godawful scars. God, please don't let me hurt him." _Wolfwood thought.

Vash paused for a moment. His body was screaming and itching for more, but his heart and mind were going in all different directions. This was going awfully fast, wasn't it? All he came in the room for was someone to talk to and it looked like Wolfwood was fixing to sleep with him.

"No, don't stop."

"You don't sound very sure." Wolfwood said with an eyebrow raised.

"Stop treating me like a naïve idiot! If I want you to stop, I'll say so!" Vash shouted, practically throwing a tantrum. Everything was so confusing, and he never expected things to go like this when he sought asylum in his dear friend's arms. He said himself he was tired of being alone, but was this the companionship he needed? His body certainly seemed to think so, and surely if it felt good, it wasn't wrong. Ah, the inner struggles of the virgin.

"So pushy." Wolfwood smiled. Vash wasn't totally incompetent when it came to romance, but he'd never gotten far beyond kissing with anyone and it showed. Things entered unexplored territory the second Wolfwood's tongue was probing around in his mouth. Vash had never been with another man before and had no idea what he'd gotten himself into. But with Vash's blessing, Wolfwood pulled the blonde's clothes off to his knees, exposing him completely.

Vash thought, _"You can do this. You can do this. What the hell are you so afraid of? This is Wolfwood! He saw all the scars and didn't run away screaming, so that has to count for something. Why can't you just relax?!"_ But it didn't seem to matter what Vash told himself because he was still shaking like a leaf.

The blonde's arousal was certainly a welcome sight to Wolfwood; at least he didn't feel like a damn rapist now. It was going to be fucking torture doing this so guardedly, but he had to. Vash was nervous as hell and he had cried more than enough already that night. But drawing the night out certainly had its perks: maybe some extended teasing would get Vash to open up more - in more ways than one - and that is precisely what he intended to do. Wolfwood placed his hands on the insides of Vash's thighs and slid them firmly over his hips, up to his waist and down again, deliberately ignoring the gumnan's obvious need. Wolfwood moved his face agonizingly close to Vash's weeping cock and while the blonde mewled in his grasp, the church man merely blew a few warm breaths against the engorged flesh. Vash groaned and bucked his hips toward Wolfwood's face.

"Damn it, this is torture! Please, Wolfwood. Touch me. Please…" Vash whined.

"_He's…begging? Well that was a quick turn-around."_ Wolfwood thought. It sounded as though the dread so evident in Vash's eyes and voice was no match for his thirst for Wolfwood. And now here he lay, at Wolfwood's mercy.

* * *

Without warning, Wolfwood wrapped one hand around the base of Vash's cock and glided his mouth over the tip. A gasp was the extent of the blonde man's response as he felt sudden warmth engulfing his member. His legs instinctively closed around Wolfwood's head and long fingers tangled in the priest's dark locks. Wolfwood took the blonde deeper into his mouth, lashing his tongue against the most sensitive spots. It drove Vash crazy, to the point where plain words damn near became a second language. This wet heat wrapped all around him was more incredible than he'd ever imagined it could be. Watching his cock disappear into Wolfwood's mouth was breathtaking; Vash had let go of his reservations. It was tough to be uneasy when you were balls-deep in such a beautiful person's mouth, and Vash couldn't get enough. But Vash wasn't the only one losing his mind in the room. Hearing those moans and feeling Vash pulling his hair just made Wolfwood want to flip the blonde over and take him.

"Oh….oh God, Wolfwood. Don't stop. Please. Please don't stop…ahhhh…." Vash cried out, his fingers digging further into Wolfwood's hair and pulling him closer. The holy man was glad to oblige; he took all of Vash into his mouth and glanced up at him. The blonde was flushed red, panting, and moaning; his whole body was tensed. Even Vash's fingertips were stiff and quivered amid Wolfwood's sleek dark tresses. Wolfwood knew it was time to stop, which did not go over well with Vash.

"What did you stop for?!" Vash cried out, frantic and almost angry.

"Exactly. I knew you were about to come, but I don't want this to end yet." He pulled Vash's face to his own and kissed him roughly, forcing his tongue into the blonde's mouth. And Vash returned the motion in kind; he grabbed Wolfwood rather hard and pulled him closer. Vash dug his fingers into the back of Wolfwood's head and pushed his tongue into the priest's mouth. A breath caught in Wolfwood's throat – he didn't expect Vash to react, especially like that. _"Quick learner with the tongue kissing. Damn, he really wants it."_

The heat and the desire radiating between the two men was intense, and Vash's eyes had changed. Sure, he was still turned on, but he no longer looked like a coy, inexperienced teenager. Rather, he had a look of hunger in his eyes. Without a word, Vash started undressing Wolfwood in a frenzy, barely able to maneuver around buttons and zippers and trying instead to all but tear the man's clothes off. Wolfwood wasn't exactly sure what Vash was going to do, but it seemed they had switched roles for the time being as Vash assumed dominance. The holy man helped Vash along in getting him out of his clothes.

Vash stood up and hauled Wolfwood to his feet right along with him and undid his pants. At the same time, Wolfwood had pulled off his jacket and shirt and thrown them on the floor. Vash knelt down in front of Wolfwood, the man's cock right at Vash's eye level. Aroused as he was, Vash still didn't know for sure what he was doing and poked only the tip of his lover's arousal into his mouth, trying to remember what Wolfwood had done with him. That's as far as he got.

"How do I do this?" Vash asked, hardly understandable with his mouth full of flesh. He looked up inquiringly at his dark-haired beauty for guidance.

"If I wasn't so goddamn turned on, I would be laughing at this." Wolfwood said. Even as he was knelt there, stark naked with a cock in his mouth and eyes blazing with passion, Vash still looked so hilariously innocent and baffled.

"You stay like that and let me show you." Wolfwood said. He held Vash's head in his hands and gently pushed himself into Vash's mouth. "Pinch me or something if you want me to stop."

If only Vash knew just how hard it was for Wolfwood to maintain the illusion of patience._ "He has no idea what the hell he's doing, but God does his mouth feel good."_ Wolfwood started to, understandably, lose control and got rougher with Vash, gripping his hair tightly and thrusting harder into the blonde's mouth. It wasn't until he felt Vash's nails claw down his legs and heard him choking that he remembered he was supposed to be taking it easy.

"You okay?" Wolfwood asked, loosening his grip and pulling back.

Vash coughed and rubbed his sore jaw. "Yeah. You feel a lot longer when you're trying to kill me." He smiled when he responded, much to Wolfwood's relief. "We're not done yet, are we?" He asked while hugging Wolfwood's legs. Why did he have to be so damn cute when Wolfwood was trying to fuck him?

"That depends. How far do you want to go?"

"We've come this far. Let's keep going."

Ah, the answer Wolfwood was hoping to hear. "Get out of your clothes; I'll be right back." The priest got up to retrieve his jacket and started rummaging around in the pockets with one hand while trying to pull off his shoes and pants with the other. "Found it!" He said triumphantly, lifting a tiny vial of fluid out of his clothes.

"What's that? Lotion?"

"Nope. Oil."

"What's it for? And why do you have oil in your pocket?" Vash asked with his head tilted to the side.

"Hah, you really are a virgin. Take my word for it, we'll need it. And it's blessed oil from the church. God forgive me for using it like this."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** If it wasn't clear before, this story is set in the animeverse. I have never read the manga and I have no idea how much it differs from the show. Also, I have no idea if Vash is really a virgin or not. I could have sworn there was a point in the show where it was hinted that he _wasn't_, but hey, deflowering the cute virgin bishie makes for far better writing.


	3. The Vash Experience

_**Always Room For You Beside Me  
**_**Chapter 3: **_The Vash Experience  
_

* * *

With a cursory toss, the vial of oil landed amongst the crumpled sheets and Wolfwood embraced his blonde lover once again. He guided Vash onto the bed, kissing him the whole way down. Vash lay on his back while Wolfwood's hands - calloused and rough from fighting and gun-slinging – studied every curve, furrow and slash on his body. The church man reached for the oil and poured it liberally over his fingers before reaching down between the blonde's legs.

"Ready?"

Vash nodded, knowing what was going to happen, yet not knowing what to _expect_ once it did. He learned fairly quickly, though, and cried out upon penetration. It was uncomfortable at best, and Vash had his eyes squeezed shut, trying hard to not let on that it wasn't pure ecstasy.

"Feel good?"

"Nnn" was all Vash could muster. Damn it, everything else had felt so good, so why did this hurt? He wanted it, didn't he?

But Vash wasn't fooling anyone, especially not Wolfwood. "Does it? Is that why your face is so scrunched up?"

Vash didn't answer. He just pursed his lips together and peered over the side of the bed. Wolfwood stopped for a moment. Vash was fucking hard to read – just minutes ago, he was ready for everything Wolfwood had to give, and now he's wound tighter than a drum again. And with Vash being the people-pleaser that he is, odds were very good that even if he really didn't want this after getting an idea of what being penetrated felt like, he'd say he did just so he didn't have to let Wolfwood down.

"Do you want this? I'm serious. Look at me and tell me what you want me to do." Wolfwood asked as his fingers, slick with oil, rested against Vash's leg. The church man's tone was stern, but his eyes remained caring.

"I do want it. I guess I just wasn't expecting it to hurt. Isn't that what the oil was for?"

"It's not a magic potion, though. You do know whatever we do after this will hurt too, right? The oil sure helps, but all the oil in the world can't loosen up a first-timer right away."

"Will it hurt the whole time?" Vash asked, his face locked in recoil just thinking about everything hurting. Who would have thought a man that has been shot countless times because of recklessness and caring too much would be afraid of pain?

"That depends entirely on you." Wolfwood said. "It won't hurt for long if you can do two things."

"Which are?"

"First, you have got to _RELAX_. You were doing it before and now you're beside yourself again. Second, and more importantly, you need to trust me, Vash the Stampede. I promise you have nothing to be afraid of when you're with me."

The blonde took a deep breath and tried to loosen up. "I do trust you."

Wolfwood pressed his fingers inside the gunman again, never once breaking eye contact with him. Vash clenched around his fingers, but after working him for a few minutes, Vash had started to unwind and groan in contentment. This was as ready as he would ever be and Wolfwood situated himself between Vash's legs. After dripping the warm oil down his cock, he pressed the tip against the blonde man's taut opening.

"I'll be as gentle as I can, but still brace yourself." Wolfwood said as he leaned down over Vash, a feverish look in his eyes.

* * *

"Go ahead." Vash said as he slid his hands up over Wolfwood's arms. He still had a hint of apprehension in his voice, but his eyes and body told Wolfwood that he was ready. Wolfwood kissed Vash deeply and pushed into him. Vash's grip tightened and their interlocked mouths muffled a cry. Vash was trembling – he gritted his teeth through the kiss. Wolfwood opened one eye to see his blonde lover's eyes pinched shut. A single tear hung in the corner of Vash's eye.

"_Goddammit. Go easy on him, Nicholas. It will be more than worth it."_ Wolfwood thought.

Vash choked back a tiny sob. "It hurts. I…don't know if I can do this."

"You _can_. I promise it will feel better soon." Wolfwood said between breaths. He hoped it would get better, anyway; he couldn't honestly say that he told Vash that solely to put him at ease. Part of him said it because he just didn't want to stop.

A colossal burning ache shot through Vash, but he knew he had to bear it. The same thing happened when Wolfwood's fingers were buried to the knuckles inside him and, sooner or later, it started feeling good. Perhaps a little patience would pay off yet again.

"_This hurts a lot, but God, something's inside me. Wolfwood is inside me. Wow, it's…"_ Vash couldn't even think straight. He felt Wolfwood in ways he never dreamed of, and the smarting notwithstanding, he wanted it. No, he needed it. The stabbing pangs, the sensation of pressure and fullness, and most of all, knowing it was Wolfwood - a strangely thrilling blend of pain and pleasure.

Wolfwood was trying to keep his rhythm gentle, but the longing to hold Vash down and ravage him completely raw was damn near unbearable. Inch by inch, Wolfwood had reached all the way inside. Vash was still whimpering beneath him, but never once said to stop. Wolfwood kissed, sucked on and grasped any part of the blonde man that he could reach. Little by little, Vash started to take Wolfwood with greater ease. Wolfwood pulled out and pushed back in, trying not to give too much too fast, drawing a small moan from Vash - one that was not pained. With Vash now properly stretched to hold him, Wolfwood took it as a sign to start moving. His rhythm remained weak at first, but swiftly sped up. Vash cried out breathlessly, calling out Wolfwood's name.

Wolfwood threw Vash's legs over his shoulders and plunged his cock all the way in all at once. Vash arched his back up; the new position amplified those unbelievable feelings of fullness. Never before had he felt such profound pleasure so deep inside his body and it was amazing. Wolfwood appeared to be concentrating on his thrusts.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Vash asked between pants.

"Looking for something."

"In my ass?! What the hell are you looking for?"

"What you could call a sweet spot. Believe me, you'll know when I find it."

As if on cue, Wolfwood pushed himself all the way into the tight heat again and Vash screamed. The church man knew he found this little buried treasure and decided to thoroughly take advantage of it.

"Ahhhh…Wolfwood, please…keep going. Just like that…" Vash pleaded and started bucking against his lover.

Wolfwood couldn't take it anymore; he wanted to split this gorgeous blond man in half once he heard that beguiling howl. The tenderness had vanished and now Wolfwood had Vash pinned to the bed by his shoulders, screwing him like a wild animal. And seeing Vash in the state he was in only made Wolfwood want him more and more. Vash was screaming and writhing under Wolfwood's firm grip, his head thrown back and his body arched up off the bed. This awareness struck Vash right to his very core – an extraordinary sensation of pleasurable weakness that intensified every time Vash felt Wolfwood crash into the weak spot within him. Apparently, a person's knees can give out when they're not even standing up; Vash absolutely melted.

It wasn't long before Vash got tense all over again, but not like he was earlier; this tension was infinitely different. His breathing became heavier, his whole body was shaking and the knuckles on his normal hand were white from gripping the sheets so tightly. The heaviness built up quickly in his lower body – a familiar pressure, but he sure never felt an orgasm like this before. This was markedly more extreme.

"Feel like…I'm gonna explode…Wolf…wood…it's driving me crazy…" Vash mewled, his voice breaking. Wolfwood knew the feeling and knew what was going to happen. He remembered thinking the exact same thing the first time he experienced a hands-free climax.

"Good" was all Wolfwood had to say whilst slamming roughly into the blonde. Vash was walking the razor's edge and Wolfwood wanted so much to be the one to push him over.

* * *

"Oh God, oh God! Don't stop! Don't stop!" Vash cried out. The desperation was so thick in his voice that it practically dripped off his tongue, and the rapturous sounds coming out of Vash's mouth were noises Wolfwood had never heard another person make before. He noticed that this time, there was no "please." Vash was either demanding or begging for him to force all that pent-up frustration and anxiety out of him – something Wolfwood was in no way hesitant about doing. His blonde lover was right there, about to go off – that lovely metaphorical button inside him just needed a few more pushes. The combination of fucking Vash, seeing him thrash and twist around on the bed and hearing his loud, flagrant cries of bliss was the trifecta of ecstasy for the church man and he felt himself approaching his own release.

The sounds of strident cries filled the room, and Vash's body stiffened up. His hands were frantically moving back and forth between the sheets and his chest as they tried to find something – anything – to grab onto.

"Ahhh! Oh God! Wolfwood!" Vash cried out before unleashing an orgasmic wail. His back arched up violently, limbs all went rigid, and his eyes rolled back into his head. It was quite possibly the most erotic thing Wolfwood had ever seen; no woman he'd ever been with climaxed like this. The coveted reaction finally showed itself and Vash came hard, his cock pulsating and shooting ropes of semen across Wolfwood's stomach, chest and even his neck. Vash immediately crashed against the bed, shaking and panting.

Wolfwood pretty well lost control right then and had to come. _"Sorry if I hurt you, Vash, but I need this right fucking now," _he thought, pounding against and into Vash, never once letting up even after Vash had finished. Now it was Wolfwood's turn to be utterly lost in ecstasy, mercilessly thrusting while Vash was still lost in space. Without saying a word, Wolfwood wrapped his hand around Vash's sensitive cock and stroked him hard. This snapped Vash back to reality and got him crying out and squirming all over again.

"Wolfwood, what are you…doing to me? Please, I can't take it, it…feels too good…" Vash implored, unsure if he even wanted Wolfwood to stop or not. It didn't matter because Wolfwood wasn't stopping. He was so close that it damn near hurt, and his pace went from hard to fast; Wolfwood's body was just about moving all on its own, propelled by the sheer need to finish. The memorable tingling hotness returned to Vash's groin just watching his lover in a totally unbridled state.

"Oh God!" was as far as Wolfwood managed to get before orgasm overtook him. He threw his head back with a thunderous moan, the fire in his body finally surging from him. Wolfwood came quite hard himself, and feeling that magnificent release of heat inside him got Vash worked up all over again. He was going to come again. While Wolfwood was in a daze, Vash wrapped his legs around the church man's hips and thrust himself against the still-hard cock and stroked himself hard. Vash could narrowly stand to do this since he was still so sensitive from before, but that just made it feel amazing on another level. It wasn't long before he was coming a second time - not as powerfully as before, but mind still blown. Warm white fluid trickled down his member, and after the beating he just gave himself _(pun intended)_, Vash found it almost painful to just take his hand off his cock.

Once the stars started to clear from his vision, Wolfwood slid out, and with a heavy sigh, he collapsed beside Vash and the two of them lay sweating and panting among disheveled sheets. When the two exhausted men finally regained the ability to do things like talk and breathe normally, they curled up in the sheets, nestled in one another's arms.

"May I make the safe assumption that you're pleased?" Wolfwood asked while lighting a cigarette.

Vash was lying against the church man's chest, beaming. "I think it's safe to say that." That sunny look of his – a genuine smile – truly warmed Wolfwood's heart and made it all more than worth it. Not only that, he was able to connect with someone he truly cared about on a most intimate level and allowed Vash to have an unforgettable first time.

"You've given me so much already, but can I ask for one more thing, Wolfwood?"

"Sure." Wolfwood said, taking one final puff on his cigarette before snuffing it out in the ashtray beside the bed. It never occurred to Wolfwood that he only takes a couple drags on his cigarettes before putting them out. Old habits die hard, it seems.

"Can I stay with you for a bit longer?" Vash asked. Wolfwood looked up at him and just blinked a couple times, which Vash guessed meant Wolfwood was done with him. "Sorry, I probably sound really clingy. I can go back to my room. I just didn't want to sleep alone tonight." Vash's expression fell slightly thinking about going back to his own bed.

Wolfwood held the blonde in a warm hug, resting his chin on Vash's head. "Don't sound so sad just when you were looking so happy. Of course you can stay with me. I want you to. Nothing could make this better than being able to wake up beside you."

Smile restored! "I kind of wish the bed was bigger." Vash said, taking note of the fact his legs were dangling off the side.

"Well that just means we have to get closer together." Wolfwood said as he pulled Vash up against him and entwined their legs. At that moment, absolutely nothing else in the world mattered to the two men except one another.

* * *

"Sing to me?" Vash asked in the sweetest voice.

Wolfwood thought this was a strange request. "You mean like a lullaby?"

"Just something, anything you can think of. I know I'll love it."

The hell kind of a request was that to make on the heels of outstanding sex? But Wolfwood couldn't resist saying "no" to Vash when he was practically purring like a kitten, and what seemed like the perfect song came to mind.

"Okay. Here goes. '_Sometimes in our lives…we all have pain, we all have sorrow. But if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow. Lean on me…when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on…'"_ Wolfwood crooned with Vash's head resting over his chest, the blonde man just about melting in the church man's arms. Wolfwood continued singing.

"…'_for it won't be long…'til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on. Please, swallow your pride…if I have things you need to borrow. For no one can fill those of your needs t__hat you won't let show.'"_ Wolfwood skipped a few verses; Vash didn't know the song, so it didn't make a big difference. _"'If there is a load…you have to bear that you can't carry, I'm right up the road. I'll share your load…if you just call me…'"_

No, the church man didn't have the most angelic voice on the planet. But when he finished serenading Vash with his impromptu oldies revival, Wolfwood looked down to see that his blonde lover was fast asleep, nestled snugly against him.

"I love you, Spiky." Wolfwood whispered and kissed Vash on the head before dozing off himself.

"Doughnuts…." Vash mumbled in his sleep.

* * *

For the first time in a very long time, Vash slept peacefully. The two snuggled all night, never letting one another go until the next morning. A warm nearly-noon sun cast an orange glow over the room as Wolfwood kissed his blonde angel awake. No sooner did Vash sit up and stretch his arms did he feel a not so subtle reminder of the night before.

"Oh crap! Fire in the hole!" is all he yelled before dashing to the bathroom. He came back out not long afterward, perplexed. "Huh, that was weird. Thought I needed the bathroom."

Wolfwood lit up a cigarette and flashed the gunman a bright grin. "Yeah, that will happen when you get your ass pounded. Does it hurt still?"

"Like a bitch. But totally worth it." Vash answered merrily while he started gathering up his clothes and trying to figure out how he was going to not wince every time he sat down. Once dressed and ready to go for the day, Vash and Wolfwood ran into Milly and Meryl on their way out of the inn.

"Morning, girls!" Vash said, chipper as ever.

"Hello, Mr. Vash the Stampede!" Milly responded in kind with a smile and a wave of her hand. When was this girl _not_ cheerful? Did she rehearse, or was it just natural? Oh how much better Gunsmoke could be if you could just take her personality and bottle it. Bullets would be replaced with sugar cubes.

Meryl, on the other hand, wasted no time on inane greetings and, instead, went right into a lecture. "You know, Vash, there are other people trying to sleep in the inn! We had to listen to you making noise all last night and didn't get a wink of sleep!"

Vash felt the color somewhat drain from his face, mortified not only by the fact that he was so loud, but that they might know he had spent the night with Wolfwood. He enjoyed himself alright, but he didn't quite want to broadcast it more than he already had.

Wolfwood chuckled and pulled a bent cigarette out of his jacket, but he wasn't going to be spared that morning either. "And that goes for you too, preacher man! Can't you guys be more considerate of everyone else in earshot when you bring some girl back to your room? The walls are like paper!"

The two men looked at one another. Vash ran his fingers through his hair, embarrassed. "Uhh…sorry about that. I'll remember next time." Wolfwood, on the other hand, was far less apologetic. "Eh, you're just mad that you weren't getting any." Milly giggled, and Meryl rolled her eyes and walked off. "Perverts."

"Must be they weren't listening too closely if they didn't catch on there were no girls involved. That, or you scream like a girl." Wolfwood said, exhaling a puff of smoke.

"Well, you certainly made me hit some high notes, so maybe it's the second one."

It was hot as hell that day. Wolfwood and Vash leaned against a shady wall, looking out into the crowds of people going about their business. Vash couldn't help but peek at Wolfwood out of the corner of his eye the entire time.

"Going your own way today, Wolfwood?" Vash asked as he put on his sunglasses.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you'd mind someone tagging along. For some _weird _reason, I kind of don't want to be alone today." Wolfwood looked at Vash over the top of his own glasses with a smile, which Vash gladly reciprocated. "There's always room for you beside me."

Wolfwood's heart skipped a beat. _"That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me. He really is an angel. A moron sometimes, but he's an adorable moron."_

With two scorching suns high in the sky, the two friends – _extremely_ good friends now – walked side by side, off toward their next adventure….or wherever someone decided to shoot at them next. Vash felt a hand squeeze his rear end, making him squeak and turning his face bright red. He looked over - Wolfwood looked quite proud of himself and just kept right on walking, nary a hitch in his stride. 

**End**

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Well, that's all! Hah, that's _enough_ for a "short" story. This was a fun little thingy to write; it was nice to whip out the fanfic-fu again for the first time in years to see if I still got it. Anyway, would just like to say thank you to those who read any part of the story; I know Trigun fandom isn't exactly huge anymore and I'm quite surprised anyone looked at this at all.


End file.
